Mini Guide to Home Security
There are a number of steps that you can take to secure your home and garden, preventing burglars and would-be invaders from gaining access to your property or from taking your belongings. Some home security techniques are relatively simple, such as ensuring that you do not leave car keys and garage door remotes within easy reach of letterboxes, while others require more time and investment, but if you are serious about your home security and burglary prevention, then these steps are worthwhile and beneficial.
1. Upgrade Your Locks
If you haven’t upgraded or even checked the quality of door and window locks in several years, it is worth considering upgrading now. Choose five lever locks that conform to British Standards BS3621 and ensure that they are fitted on all of your doors and windows. You should also consider the locks on sheds, garages, and other outbuildings.
2. Secure Entry Points Every Night
Ensure that doors and windows are secured every time you leave the house, and also when you go to bed in the evening. Opportunist burglars only need a very brief window of time in order to enter a property, grab small belongings, and get out again.
3. Consider The Quality of Frames, Door & Window Panes
The lock of a door or window is only one element of security to consider. Exterior doors should be reinforced, otherwise they can be easily smashed or broken down. Single glazed windows should be laminated or upgraded to double glazing. You can even install security shutters and external security features in order to enjoy increased security.
4. Remove The Spare Key From Under The Plant Pot
It is common practice to keep keys under plant pots, stone boots by the front door, and even under the front door mat. The problem is that burglars also know these spots, and it only takes a couple of minutes to quickly check all likely hiding places.
If you must keep a spare key outside, use a lockbox that is secured to the wall or, better still, leave your spare key with a trusted friend, family member, or neighbour.
5 – Utilise Natural Boundary Security
It is worth remembering that the garden and unsecured outbuildings may contain valuable property and expensive items. In fact, moneysupermarket.com estimates that the average garden contains around £2,000 of equipment, so ensure that boundaries are properly secured. You can utilise attractive features like hedges and good looking fences to yield the best results.
6 – Don’t Leave Keys Near Doors
While most burglars and would-be intruders would prefer to enter an empty property, they may not need to enter at all in order to get your car, or steal keys for later use. When you lock the door, or when you put the garage key down, make sure that they cannot be easily reached through letterboxes or through other access points. Place them in a drawer for the best security – even hooks at the other end of a hallway may be accessible to the determined burglar.
7 – Check Your Sheds And Outbuildings
As well as the garden, your outbuildings are likely to have valuable content too. If a garage is connected to your property, it can also act as a portal to provide entry to the rest of the house. Ensure that sheds, garages, and other outbuildings are thoroughly secured.
8 – Light Them Up
Lighting is one of the most effective means of deterrent to put burglars off. Security lights that react to movement can be strategically placed in order that they protect the most likely entry points that a burglar would use, but do make sure that it doesn’t switch on and off at the slightest movement. Not only will this become annoying, but it will detract from the overall benefit of the site.
